


Love Is Overrated

by brokenhighways



Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: Angsty Schmoop, Canon Compliant, M/M, Marriage, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 04:16:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20960324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brokenhighways/pseuds/brokenhighways
Summary: Jude's left feeling insecure when Zero reveals that he doesn't want to get married.





	Love Is Overrated

**Author's Note:**

> Writer's Block is a bish, but I'm still here! This is not beta'd so apologies in advance for any mistakes.

"Love is overrated."

"Okay. What I  _ asked _ you was how your officiant speech is coming along?"

Zero's eyes are narrowed and Jude's already regretting bringing this up because they're clearly about to have one of those  _ conversations.  _ The kind where Jude's left feeling insecure because their idea of relationships don't quite mesh. 

Zero's been asked to officiate one of his teammates', Zeke Roberts, wedding and writing something from the heart is part of the mandate. Apparently, traditional words aren't social media friendly and while Jude  _ hates  _ that the team look for a feel good story wherever they can, he has to admit that this wedding is great for business. 

It's taken the attention away from their average performance this season and generated a lot of positive buzz. 

"That's all I have." Zero lets out an exasperated sigh. "Like I keep telling you, I'm the worst person to write this."

Jude cocks his head to one side and purses his lips thoughtfully. "I'd like to think that us being in a loving relationship would make it a  _ little  _ easier."

It takes Zero a few seconds to catch on and when he does, his hand extends and runs through his hair aggressively, like he's beyond frustrated by all of this.

"Obviously,  _ we're  _ different, but in general, love is overrated. Don't even get me started on marriage."

Jude crosses his arms across his chest, his phone long forgotten on the countertop. "What's wrong with getting married?"

Zero's eyebrows shoot up, his eyes widening slowly like Jude's asked a stupid question. "It's a huge waste of time, that's what's wrong with it."

Jude narrows his eyes. " _ We've  _ talked about getting married."

Zero wrings his hands together and releases them abruptly, like he's trying to shed whatever emotions he's experiencing at the moment. 

"You and I both know that doesn't mean anything. How many couples talk and talk about it and nothing happens? It's just this huge weight hanging over their heads."

"Okay, so, you're saying that you  _ don't  _ want to get married?" Jude needs some clarification here before he freaks out. 

Zero presses his lips together at Jude's tone. "I'm saying that I'm not the best person to write this speech. I know Zeke enough to know that this is going to end in tears. He's twenty-three years old. Two months ago, he was screwing a bottle girl right here in LA. He probably has a groupie in every city. Getting married won't change any of that."

"What about you? Love is overrated, so, hell, maybe  _ you  _ have a groupie in every city."

It's a low blow, but Jude enjoys being in his own bubble where his players are all loyal to their significant others. Being with a basketball player isn't a walk in the park; he's seen the DMs that Zero receives on a daily basis and they're not for the faint hearted. 

However, he trusts Zero enough that he doesn't worry about it. He feels safe in their relationship and knows that he's not going to be abandoned for some girl (or guy) that Zero barely knows. 

Zero laughs dryly and rubs the nape of his neck slowly. "Used to. Til I came to LA and got tired of it all. Don't make this about me. I'm just saying that we harp on about love, but most people don't know what it is."

It feels like Zero's dismissing his feelings and Jude finds himself snapping. "Oh and you do?"

"Sixty-one million." 

Those three words are enough to chastise Jude. 

It's something Zero says when he doesn't see the point in arguing, usually when Jude is questioning his role in their relationship. 

Sixty-one million views. 

That's how many the video of their 'coming out' kiss got on YouTube within the first day. It's a symbol of how much Zero was willing to sacrifice just to show Jude that he was in this for  _ real _ . 

"I know that you love me, but you can love someone and not give them a commitment," Jude explains. "Sometimes people need more you know?"

Zero twists his lips and suddenly starts adjusting his cuffs, eyes down when he says, "Are you saying that  _ you _ need more?"

"Maybe? I'm a product of a failed marriage which makes it seem crazy, but I want to have a life with you. I want to be yours in every way possible. That includes us getting married."

It's not like Jude's life will end if they don't get married. However, it's what he's wanted since he knew what love was. It's what he wants for  _ them _ .

Zero presses his lips together with a slight frown. "Huh. Well if that's what you want, let's do it. We'll go down to the Justice of Peace, sign whatever we need to sign and boom. We're married."

Jude swallows hard. "You're not taking this seriously, clearly."

Zero rubs at his eyes and his hand travels downward and settles on his chin. 

"Jude, I barely want to go to  _ this  _ wedding let alone have one of my own."

Jude glances at the time on his phone; they're running late. 

"We'll finish this conversation later. I hope for your sake that you're good at improvisation."

Zero tosses his scrap of paper onto the countertop and rolls his eyes. "Whatever."

They drive to Zeke's house in different cars. 

+

The wedding is taking place at a two storey mansion in Glendale. It's a blue hued house that holds almost four thousand square feet. There are coffered ceiling, tiled marble floors and outside is even more beautiful than the inside. There's a saltwater pool encased by a landscaped pathway leading to a rose garden that's littered with several fountains. It's not as captivating as the house Jude shares with Zero, but he's definitely going to take a few pictures before they leave.

"You should be thanking me for convincing him to hold it here," Zero says when he joins Jude in the foyer. "Guy wanted to rent the freaking Staples Center." 

"Did he miss the part where the arena is right there?"

Zero rolls his eyes. "Marriage is special yet you see it as a marketing opportunity.".

Jude doesn't offer a rebuttal because he walked into that one. 

He changes the subject instead. 

"How's the speech?"

Zero pulls the paper from his pocket and holds it up.

It still reads:  _ love is overrated.  _

Jude pinches the bridge of his nose. "Maybe you should just quit as officiant."

Zero's face twists into a wry smile. "Winners don't quit, Jude. Ever."

"So, you're going to go up there and ruin it for everyone?"

Before Zero can answer, there's a flurry of activity. Two women with headsets run past them into the house and Zero's phone begins to buzz frantically. 

"It's Zeke."

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Jude says, more to himself because Zero's already answered the call. 

"Hello? Yeah. I'm here. Whoa, whoa, slow down. I'm. I'm. Look, I'm on my way, okay? Hang tight."

Zero cuts off the call, his face blank and giving away nothing. "Gotta go and find out what's wrong with Zeke. I'll see you."

He leaves without waiting for a response, which tells Jude that he's overstepped at some point during their argument. Jude is not going to apologize, though. He's allowed to want something. He's allowed to want a family. He's not going to say sorry when he's not. 

Jelena appears before he is able to process anything else. "Jude? I just heard that the wedding might be off."

Jude's isn't sure how she heard so quickly, but he's not surprised. She is Jelena Howard after all.

"Zeke's always been unpredictable," Jude says. "Didn't he call off the wedding three times last week? I'm sure it'll be fine."

_ Wait,  _ Jude thinks suddenly,  _ doesn't that prove Zero's point? _

Jude tells the voice in his head to shut the fuck up and turns his focus back to Jelena.

Jelena's face is passive, but there's a flicker of annoyance in her eyes. "I don't care. We've had too many scandals. I need this day to go well. Maybe we can turn it into a party of some sorts. Does anyone have a birthday or cause we can promote?"

"You sound just like Zero," Jude says. "He doesn't care if this wedding goes ahead either."

Jelena's perfectly sculpted eyebrows shoot skywards. "I caught Zeke with a Devil Girl two days ago and I had to give her her walking papers. Let's not pretend that this is some fairytale."

Jude shakes his head even though she's right. 

The same way Zero is. 

Jelena must see something in his expression because she tuts loudly and says: "Look, just because Zeke is a hot mess who will never commit to someone, it doesn't mean that Zero is. He's more of a romantic than the last two guys I've dated and we were  _ both _ using each other."

Jude could have done without the reminder, but he appreciates what she's trying to do. 

"What if we're just too different?" Jude asks. "What if he's just like all of the other players? You have to admit that the stereotype is partly true."

Jelena brushes her hair away from her face and looks down briefly before she answers. "The two of you have something special. Don't ruin it by constantly overanalyzing it."

~

Jude's sitting with the other guests when Zero drops into the seat next to him. His shoulder brushes against Jude's and his hand drops into his lap. In that moment, Jude knows that they're okay. Zero is still  _ here _ , he's still within Jude's reach. 

"Zeke got a girl pregnant," he whispers in Jude's ear. "I guess that was too much for Shana. She's not coming."

Jude rubs a hand down his face gently. "What do we do?"

Zero shifts away and responds in his normal tone. "Guests are still arriving...No one has told anyone. Jelena was trying to talk Shana around, but…"

"Love is overrated," Jude says when Zero trails off. "Maybe you were right. Zeke would have married her anyway, knowing that he's going to have a child in a few months. That's cold. That's not love."

Zero reaches over and takes Jude's hand. "Love isn't one size fits all. It's different for everyone and I can't judge him. I've done my fair share of fucked up things. That's why I'm so cynical."

"I know... I guess I've always had this idea in my head. Finding love. Being happy. All of these  _ conflicts  _ and doubts, they're hard to deal with. How do I deal with the fact that you and I want different things?"

That's what this boils down to. Jude doesn't care about Zeke getting married and he never did. It was always about him. If Zero is really against it, where does that leave them? Jude's not sure if he can live with Zero never wanting to take their relationship to the next step. 

"I don't know."

Zero sounds withdrawn and defeated, like he's having the same thought. 

~

In the end, Zero's forced to stand at the makeshift altar and inform the guests that the wedding has been called off. 

"Zeke told me to tell you that he's very grateful that you attended. He appreciates it."

Predictably, one of the guests can't hide their curiosity. "What happened?"

Zero hesitates before he answers, his eyes landing on Jude briefly before he looks away. 

"Love is overrated. That's what I had written down for my prepared remarks. Zeke asked me to officiate and I couldn't say no. I'm his Captain. Yet, I struggled to write something meaningful. I guess it's because I've been here before. I've been in the wreckage of so many relationships that I'm not sure if they're worth it. In this case, Zeke and Shana aren't sure if this is what they want."

Jude swallows hard and tries not to focus on how that comment feels like a knife to the chest. 

"What about Jude?" someone calls out, like this an open press conference and Zero's doing a Q & A session. 

Zero smiles then, eyes softening like he can't help it.

"Jude is... the exception to a lot of my rules and beliefs," Zero says. "He's perfect in every way and I know that sounds cheesy, but it's true. I never thought I'd be in a committed relationship with anyone, yet here I am. He's  _ definitely  _ worth it. I just wished that he believed that more."

Zero seems to catch himself then and remember that he's standing in front of a crowd of strangers and reporters. 

"Anyway, yeah. Enjoy the refreshment and food set out and once again, Zeke sends his apologies."

There's a smattering of applause when Zero steps away from the altar. He's drawn into a conversation by a guest, finally drawing himself away when Jude reaches him.

"What was that?"

Zero looks shell-shocked, like he's surprised by his own actions. 

"That was me bearing my soul in front of people and I hated every minute of it."

"Why did you say it then?"

Zero's mouth upturns into a little smile. ".... because I love you, stupid. I don't need a ring or a piece of paper to remind me of that, but if  _ you  _ do then… I can come around to the idea. I just need some time."

It's not what Jude wants to hear. It's better. He knows how easy it would be for Zero to placate him, to agree to marriage and keep leading him on, dangling the idea in front of him to get him to stop nagging him. 

"I love you too, Gideon and I know how much you've sacrificed to be with me. What you did is still this  _ huge  _ thing and I know it's stupid of me to always doubt the strength of our relationship."

"It's not stupid. It's normal. I just need you not to doubt  _ me  _ because it doesn't feel good, you know?"

It's uncharacteristic for Zero to admit that something is upsetting him and Jude feels guilt and shame wash over him. 

"Do you ever doubt me?"

Zero smiles ..."Do you remember that night in the parking lot? I was waiting for you by your car, so desperate for things to go back to normal…"

Jude will never forget that day, the highs and lows, the way his euphoria spiralled into heartbreak and he fell asleep wondering if the pain in his chest would ever melt away. 

"You told me that you loved me."

"Yeah and you told me that wasn't enough. You knew what you wanted and... you didn't want anything else. You walked away when I wasn't ready to give you that. How can I doubt you when you're so sure of what you want?"

Jude doesn't fully understand Zero's logic, but the words warm his heart either way. 

"It took everything in me to walk away from you that night."

"Watching you go was no picnic either," Zero points out. "I never want to lose you."

"Me neither," Jude says. "And I'm sorry if you feel like I'm doubting you."

Zero nods in understanding and there's a short but comfortable silence between them. 

"Should we go and check on Zeke?" Jude asks, suddenly remembering what caused this whole argument. 

Zero snorts derisively, like Jude's just suggested something ridiculous. "I guarantee you, he'll have a bunch of girls here tonight and he'll roll into training on Monday with a spring in his step."

Jude knows how that goes and what usually happens next.

"...and then by the end of the week, he'll be doing everything he can to win her back?"

Zero laughs. "Probably, yeah. It's the life...When you have the world at your feet, it's hard to see what's in front of you."

It takes Jude a second to fully process the words. When he does, he finds that they're surprisingly insightful. 

"I don't know what's happened to my stoic, man of few words boyfriend, but I kind of like this forthcoming and open version of him."

"You  _ love  _ every version of me, Jude," Zero says around a grin. "You fell for me during my faux Christian days and I was a jerk then. Clearly, I'm irresistible in all forms."

"That or I just have this knack for seeing who you really are under the layers…"

"You're the only one that does," Zero says, "...and I wouldn't have it any other way."

They gravitate towards each other naturally and Zero pulls him into a kiss, it's slow and sensual; a reaffirmation and promise all rolled into one. 

If Jude looked up he'd see that they're standing directly under the altar, in place of the forgotten bride and groom. 

However, he doesn't notice because he's too busy living in the moment. 


End file.
